'Death Road' is 37 miles long and widely acknowledged as the most difficult highway to drive down in the world

The Yungas Road, aka Death Road, located in Bolivia, is a 37-mile stretch of road that is widely regarded as the most difficult highway in the world, and the world’s most dangerous road.

Known as the Camino de la Muerte, the road featured on BBC Top Gear in the Bolivia Special, which showed off just how dangerous the road is, with it carved into the side of mountains.

A slight mistake could see you fall right to the bottom, yet this terrifying road was actually a very important route.

It did serve a purpose, and it has been around since the 1930s. Yet somehow, its reputation has seen it become a local attraction.

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When was Death Road originally built?

The Camino de la Muerte was originally built by Paraguayan prisoners of war, following the end of the Chaco War in 1935.

Originally, the road was to connect the Yungas region and La Paz, the economic and political center of Bolivia.

Sadly, many prisoners died while building the road, and many have also died trying to navigate it.

Bolivians regularly used the road for the movement of goods from La Paz’s highlands to the lowlands.

With no alternative in place, cars, lorries, trucks, and bicycles all used the Camino de la Muerte.

In 2007, however, a new road was built – a paved bypass allowing drivers to avoid this infamous route.

That signalled the end of it as a primary route through Bolivia.

The Camino de la Muerte is still open today.

Incredibly, the road itself is still open, albeit without as much traffic as previously.

Tourists love to tackle it in various vehicles, and the 40 miles of tricky road do offer some spectacular scenery.

Prior to the opening of the bypass, around 100 people would die on the road every year.

In 2025, that number is massively reduced to 30-40.

Tourists still flock to the Yungas Road, however, eager to experience it for themselves and take in the scenery.

There are even organized biking tours on the road for those who want something more official.

But the reputation of this stretch of Bolivian dirt is likely to stick with the Camino de la Muerte forever.

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